10 reasons why Cambridge has suffered a steep decline in shoppers

This is why readers think there has been a decline in shoppers in Cambridge (Image: Warren Gunn)

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People prefer online shopping

One reader said: "I wanted a two litre non-stick saucepan. Traipsed around two well known shops. None around. Gave up. Got from Amazon in five minutes. Moral clear."

Commenting on our website, Smooth22Mover, had several reasons Cambridge has taken the hit.

They said: "Cambridge used to be ok shopping wise but due to lack of decent priced parking, slow moving park and ride buses and shops that are vastly overpriced and do not offer true value, ok for tourists who want to look round the colleges but when in march due to lack of tourists visiting it shows up its flaws.

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"Cambridge needs to improve, think about quality but at the moment it has bog standard shops that offer little value. But internet shopping will appeal for quickness, no parking or luggings it back to the car park, plus Cambridge lately has shown up its Crime rate of muggings, stabbings so this puts shoppers off.

"Perhaps its needs to work better and smarter to improve."

Brexit

Another reader disputed Brexit as being the reason for the downturn.

They said: "MEP Alex Mayer blames Brexit. No online shopping does. Brexit can be blamed for putting you out of work soon. Good job."

It's the high rents

This is why readers think there has been a decline in shoppers in Cambridge (Image: Phil Morley)

Other reasons were given by this reader.

They said: "Reason Cambridge is failing is due to massive rent charges, high council taxes and poor parking in Cambridge once the shops have gone, there gone.

"Yes you can buy online but its not the same there is nothing like being able to see and feel the products before you buy when all the shops have gone the city's will die and all the other business that flourish in the centre will also die, as all the trade generated by people coming into town to shop.

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"What all the other business trade from will be gone. It's like self service tills, it's slowly cutting jobs, banks are slowly dying off, the whole of society is changing, soon there be less jobs no one will have money to spend and there will be a nation of lonely people who don't even leave there homes."

The cost of parking

Another had just one reason.

They said: "It's not the economy, stupid! It's the parking fees!!!"

Politics

Many readers thought there were underlying political issues which were preventing shoppers coming to Cambridge (Image: Keith Jones)

One reader wrote: "Only last week it was published that Cambridge are trying to ban bus tours from the city can we take it now that they want the bus tour operators to keep coming to Cambridge for the revenue they create."

Another reader said: "Of course the real reasons are spelt out clearly below by astute readers, but why should people like the preposterous MEP bother themselves with harsh realities when they can just lazily blame everything on brexit.

"The truth is that our treacherous political class do not want to focus on the real issues. They just want to pursue their own ideological obsessions and of course stack up their own net wealth in the process. People like Mayer are part of the problem."

Grease, grime and smelly air

A view of the market square from Cambridge Guildhall (Image: David Johnson/Trinity Mirror)

GRopner said: Looks like many have the same comments. High rents/rates set by a greedy council. High off-putting carpark charges, set by a greedy council. Crack addicts loitering in shop doorways and cash machines. Dirt. The city is grotty.

"Mandella House is a good example, city centre rep of the council looking greasy and grimey. Neglected. Inside, the ceiling tile is STILL upside down after TWO MONTHS now.

"No Pride. Trip Hazzards. I can't imagine what tourists think when they trip and fall, let alone locals that just avoid the town centre.

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"If Cambridge's streets are worn out and need replacing. It is not a nice place for a walk.

"It smells. A stinky air looms. For EG: The corner where CB1 eatery is at East Road has a sewerage issue.

"Citi 1 bus that does not stop near the Grafton. Drummer Street and the bus park are a mess.

"It doesn't work efficiently. Look at the buses causing congestion when the open top tour bus stops opposite the junction. The great market ... slippery with grime, worn out, and urinated over as a wash down. Council employees trained to either ignore or lie. No-one accepts any responsibility - but which power will listen?"

Covered shopping

But the weather did drive people into the city's shopping centres.

The BID report said: "With regards to footfall, Cambridge shopping centres – being indoors - have fared very well: nationally, shopping centres were 4.9 per cent down whereas in Cambridge footfall was level, with 2018 and 2017 figures almost equal."

High street woes

But Cambridge suffered more on the high street than in the region and nationally with one in 10 shoppers lost.

The report also gives a picture of how car parks fared as well as park and ride sites and the guided bus.

The report said: "High Street footfall, however, was 11 per cent down in March 2018 compared to March 2017 – this is comparable with 8.6 per cent down nationally and 8.8 per cent down in the eastern region.

"With regards to car park usage, the surface car parks were 11.1 per cent up on 2017 figures.

"We have included the spaces at Shire Hall for the first time this month; Shire Hall provides 52 parking bays and is open to the public 7 days a week.

"Multi-storey car park usage was down slightly, 1.3 per cent lower in March 2018 compared to March 2017.

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"Park & Ride was 12.4 per cent down in March 2018 compared to 2017 – the inclement weather and Easter falling within March this year is likely to account for this.

"Guided busway usage was also slightly down, 0.9 per cent lower in March 2018 compared to 2017.

"With regards to Cambridge BID data, there were fewer sightings of commercial waste in March 2018 compared to 2017. Punt tout sightings and environmental reports were both slightly higher in March 2018.

"Business welcomes and visitor welcomes were slightly down this March compared to March 2017.

"Footfall from the Visitor Information Centre has also been added to the report this month – it showed that just over 2,000 fewer visitors went into the VIC during March 2018 compared to 2017.

"This is consistent with a national picture that shows footfall into VICs is, in general, declining as visitors do a lot of their research prearrival, via the web. It is also a reflection of the poor weather conditions.

"VCB is responding to this national trend through developing its digital presence both pre and post arrival, ensuring visitors have access to information to help them make the most of their visit, in the format that is most convenient."

The weather

Ian Sandison, CEO of Cambridge BID put the slump down to the weather.

He told the News: "Our shopping centres performed significantly better than the national average, during March.

"It’s no surprise that shoppers preferred to spend their time indoors rather than on the high street, as Cambridge battled six snow days and 15 wet days with only eight days of sun.

"This time last year the high street enjoyed the benefits of much better weather, with 22 sunny days and no snow.”

The detailed picture in Cambridge

(Image: David Johnson)

The latest Cambridge BID report also paints a bleaker picture.

Footfall, or the number of people in the city centre and Grafton centre area, for the year to date is 5.2 per cent down on the previous year with Bridge Street hit hardest.

The report said: "Year-on-year, footfall in March decreased by 6 per cent, a substantial decline compared to the increase of 1.3 per cent seen for March 2017 and the steepest year on year fall since the end of 2010.

"The 12-month average stands at -1.4 per cent. There was no growth in footfall for any UK regions.

"The most notable declines (year-on-year) were seen in Greater London, -7.5 per cent, South East, -6.5 per cent, and in the East Midlands, -5.9 per cent."

The report added: "High Street showed declines across all regions, in particular: Greater London, -11.7 per cent, South East, -9.7 per cent, and the East, -8.8 per cent. "

Cambridge city saw an 11 per cent fall looking at the weekly average.

Cambridge BID added: "Weather has had a significant impact on March figures.

"During March 2018 we experienced 6 snow days, 15 wet days, 6 cloudy days and 8 sunny days. This is compared with 22 sunny days, 11 cloudy days and only 2 rainy days in March 2017.

"Easter also fell early in 2018, across the final weekend of March, compared to an April Easter in 2017 – this again has impacted on figures."